When you care about your car, you take it to the shop for the tuneups it needs - oil changes, tire rotations, new brakes, etc. Your spine is no different. It needs a regular "tuneup" as well, complete with chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic tuneups can serve three purposes:

1.

Evaluate the state of your body, even if you have no pain.Even people who feel fine have areas of their spine or extremities that are out of normal alignment. When we adjust those bones back into place, people feel better in some way. If we waited until we felt pain, we would all wait until we needed root canals or crowns before going to the dentist!

2.

Address major or minor pains you currently have, but haven't been too worried about.Have you had any nagging discomforts or pains coming from your spine or extremities? Do these discomforts prevent you from doing the activities you enjoy? Instead of wondering if the pain will continue to get worse or stay that way for the rest of your life, give chiropractic a try. You don't have to live with pain.

3.

Prevent future problems that can and likely will arise from your joints being out of alignment and not functioning at 100 percent.Our society is moving toward preventative health care. Chiropractic has been at the forefront of this concept since the chiropractic profession was founded in 1895. Arthritis, overuse injuries (like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow), rotator cuff injuries and knee problems are just some examples of conditions that may be prevented with chiropractic care.

Scheduling chiropractic tuneups allows you to take care of your body so that your machine functions as well as it possibly can. Please remember to make time to care for yourself; you are worth every penny.

The abdominal area is probably the most talked about area for both men and women, but it is one of the most difficult areas to define correctly and effectively.

The abdominal wall is made up of clusters of muscles separated by connective tissue. Ab exercises strengthen those clusters and burn off the surrounding fat. In extremely fit individuals, the clusters become visible, resulting in ridges or "washboard" abs. Your abs are a major component of your core, which is composed of the transversus abdominus, internal obliques, pelvic floor musculature, diaphragm, transversospinalis and multifidus. Researchers have found that individuals with chronic low back pain (85 percent of U.S. adults) have decreased use in these muscles. The following ab exercises can be done daily, but if there is any soreness the next day, you may want to rest for a day.

Ask your doctor for more information on how to perform these exercises and for an overall assessment of your health and fitness needs. This concludes the five-part series on the total-body workout. As you prepare for the holiday season, remember to keep yourself motivated by constantly challenging yourself to new levels. Good luck and stay fit!

It's cold and flu season, and the sounds of coughing, sneezing and runny noses can be heard in nearly every home, office and shopping mall across the country. But don't run to the doctor and stock up on prescriptions just yet.

Colds, flus, most sore throats and acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, and antibiotics do not help fight viruses. Your prescription medication won't fight the virus, make you feel better, yield a quicker recovery or keep others from getting sick. In fact, because of the potentially serious side effects, taking antibiotics to treat a virus can do more harm than good.

In addition to failing to solve your problem, taking unnecessary antibiotics can result in an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in some way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of drugs, chemicals or other agents designed to cure or prevent infections. This means the next time you really need an antibiotic for a bacterial infection, it may not work.

When the scratchy throat, sinus headache and sniffles get to be too much to handle this season, resist the urge to reach for the easy answer. Talk to your doctor about natural alternatives for treating your cold or flu.

The information provided is for general interest only and should not be misconstrued as a diagnosis, prognosis or treatment recommendation. This information does not in any way constitute the practice of chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, medicine, or any other health care profession. Readers are directed to consult their health care provider regarding their specific health situation. MPA Media is not liable for any action taken by a reader based upon this information.